Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002

Number:

107-188

Session:

107th Congress (Second Session)

The following are excerpts, highlighted in red, from the final legislation and/or conference report which contain National Academies' studies. (Pound signs [##] between passages denote the deletion of unrelated text.)

(a) IN GENERAL.-Through the national stockpile under section 121, the President, subject to subsections (b) and (c), shall make available to State and local governments potassium iodide tablets for stockpiling and for distribution as appropriate to public facilities, such as schools and hospitals, in quantities sufficient to provide adequate protection for the population within 20 miles of a nuclear power plant.

(b) STATE AND LOCAL PLANS.-

(1) IN GENERAL.-Subsection (a) applies with respect to a State or local government, subject to paragraph (2), if the government involved meets the following conditions:

(A) Such government submits to the President a plan for the stockpiling of potassium iodide tablets, and for the distribution and utilization of potassium iodide tablets in the event of a nuclear incident.

(B) The plan is accompanied by certifications by such government that the government has not already received sufficient quantities of potassium iodide tablets from the Federal Government.

(2) LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.-Subsection (a) applies with respect to a local government only if, in addition to the conditions described in paragraph (1), the following conditions are met:

(A) The State in which the locality involved is located-

(i) does not have a plan described in paragraph (1)(A); or

(ii) has a plan described in such paragraph, but the plan does not address populations at a distance greater than 10 miles from the nuclear power plant involved.

(B) The local government has petitioned the State to modify the State plan to address such populations, not exceeding 20 miles from such plant, and 60 days have elapsed without the State modifying the State plan to address populations at the full distance sought by the local government through the petition.

(C) The local government has submitted its local plan under paragraph (1)(A) to the State, and the State has approved the plan and certified that the plan is not inconsistent with the State emergency plan.

(c) GUIDELINES.-Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President, in consultation with individuals representing appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies, shall establish guidelines for the stockpiling of potassium iodide tablets, and for the distribution and utilization of potassium iodide tablets in the event of a nuclear incident. Such tablets may not be made available under subsection (a) until such guidelines have been established.

(d) INFORMATION.-The President shall carry out activities to inform State and local governments of the program under this section.

(e) REPORTS.-

(1) PRESIDENT.-Not later than six months after the date on which the guidelines under subsection (c) are issued, the President shall submit to the Congress a report-

(A) on whether potassium iodide tablets have been made available under subsection (a) or other Federal, State, or local programs, and the extent to which State and local governments have established stockpiles of such tablets; and

(B) the measures taken by the President to implement this section.

(2) NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES.-

(A) IN GENERAL.-The President shall request the National Academy of Sciences to enter into an agreement with the President under which the Academy conducts a study to determine what is the most effective and safe way to distribute and administer potassium iodide tablets on a mass scale. If the Academy declines to conduct the study, the President shall enter into an agreement with another appropriate public or nonprofit private entity to conduct the study.

(B) REPORT.-The President shall ensure that, not later than six months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the study required in subparagraph (A) is completed and a report describing the findings made in the study is submitted to the Congress.

(f) APPLICABILITY.-Subsections (a) and (d) cease to apply as requirements if the President determines that there is an alternative and more effective prophylaxis or preventive measures for adverse thyroid conditions that may result from the release of radionuclides from nuclear power plants.

Subtitle B-Strategic National Stockpile; Development of Priority Countermeasures

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SEC. 127. POTASSIUM IODIDE.

(a) IN GENERAL.-Through the national stockpile under section 121, the President, subject to subsections (b) and (c), shall make available to State and local governments potassium iodide tablets for stockpiling and for distribution as appropriate to public facilities, such as schools and hospitals, in quantities sufficient to provide adequate protection for the population within 20 miles of a nuclear power plant.

(b) STATE AND LOCAL PLANS.-

(1) IN GENERAL.-Subsection (a) applies with respect to a State or local government, subject to paragraph (2), if the government involved meets the following conditions:

(A) Such government submits to the President a plan for the stockpiling of potassium iodide tablets, and for the distribution and utilization of potassium iodide tablets in the event of a nuclear incident.

(B) The plan is accompanied by certifications by such government that the government has not already received sufficient quantities of potassium iodide tablets from the Federal Government.

(2) LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.-Subsection (a) applies with respect to a local government only if, in addition to the conditions described in paragraph (1), the following conditions are met:

(A) The State in which the locality involved is located-

(i) does not have a plan described in paragraph (1)(A); or

(ii) has a plan described in such paragraph, but the plan does not address populations at a distance greater than 10 miles from the nuclear power plant involved.

(B) The local government has petitioned the State to modify the State plan to address such populations, not exceeding 20 miles from such plant, and 60 days have elapsed without the State modifying the State plan to address populations at the full distance sought by the local government through the petition.

(C) The local government has submitted its local plan under paragraph (1)(A) to the State, and the State has approved the plan and certified that the plan is not inconsistent with the State emergency plan.

(c) GUIDELINES.-Not later than one year after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President, in consultation with individuals representing appropriate Federal, State, and local agencies, shall establish guidelines for the stockpiling of potassium iodide tablets, and for the distribution and utilization of potassium iodide tablets in the event of a nuclear incident. Such tablets may not be made available under subsection (a) until such guidelines have been established.

(d) INFORMATION.-The President shall carry out activities to inform State and local governments of the program under this section.

(e) REPORTS.-

(1) PRESIDENT.-Not later than six months after the date on which the guidelines under subsection (c) are issued, the President shall submit to the Congress a report-

(A) on whether potassium iodide tablets have been made available under subsection (a) or other Federal, State, or local programs, and the extent to which State and local governments have established stockpiles of such tablets; and

(B) the measures taken by the President to implement this section.

(2) NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES.-

(A) IN GENERAL.-The President shall request the National Academy of Sciences to enter into an agreement with the President under which the Academy conducts a study to determine what is the most effective and safe way to distribute and administer potassium iodide tablets on a mass scale. If the Academy declines to conduct the study, the President shall enter into an agreement with another appropriate public or nonprofit private entity to conduct the study.

(B) REPORT.-The President shall ensure that, not later than six months after the date of the enactment of this Act, the study required in subparagraph (A) is completed and a report describing the findings made in the study is submitted to the Congress.

(f) APPLICABILITY.-Subsections (a) and (d) cease to apply as requirements if the President determines that there is an alternative and more effective prophylaxis or preventive measures for adverse thyroid conditions that may result from the release of radionuclides from nuclear power plants.